Inputs of disinfection by-products to the marine environment from various industrial activities: Comparison to natural production.

Oxidative treatment of seawater in coastal and shipboard installations is applied to control biofouling and/or minimize the input of noxious or invasive species into the marine environment. This treatment allows a safe and efficient operation of industrial installations and helps to protect human health from infectious diseases and to maintain the biodiversity in the marine environment. On the downside, the application of chemical oxidants generates undesired organic compounds, so-called disinfection by-products (DBPs), which are discharged into the marine environment. This article provides an overview on sources and quantities of DBP inputs, which could serve as basis for hazard analysis for the marine environment, human health and the atmosphere. During oxidation of marine water, mainly brominated DBPs are generated with bromoform (CHBr3) being the major DBP. CHBr3 has been used as an indicator to compare inputs from different sources. Total global annual volumes of treated seawater inputs resulting from cooling processes of coastal power stations, from desalination plants and from ballast water treatment in ships are estimated to be 470-800 × 109 m3, 46 × 109 m3 and 3.5 × 109 m3, respectively. Overall, the total estimated anthropogenic bromoform production and discharge adds up to 13.5-21.8 × 106 kg/a (kg per year) with contributions of 11.8-20.1 × 106 kg/a from cooling water treatment, 0.89 × 106 kg/a from desalination and 0.86 × 106 kg/a from ballast water treatment. This equals approximately 2-6% of the natural bromoform emissions from marine water, which is estimated to be 385-870 × 106 kg/a.

Thermal tolerance of the invasive oyster Crassostrea gigas: feasibility of heat treatment as an antifouling option.

Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas are traditionally considered shellfish of great fishery and aquaculture value. For these reasons they are introduced worldwide. Recently there has been increasing reports about the prevalence of C. gigas as biofouling organism in cooling water systems. In the absence of relevant data on the susceptibility of oysters to commonly employed antifouling techniques such as heat treatment, it was presumed that oysters would be controlled by treatment programmes directed against other major fouling organisms. The present study was carried out to test the above hypothesis, and results showed that C. gigas has an upper temperature tolerance that is much higher than other major marine fouling animals including blue mussel Mytilus edulis. Apparently, temperature regimes presently used in heat treatment of cooling water systems fouled by mussels need to be increased, if C. gigas are to be controlled effectively. Our results also indicate that previous exposure of C. gigas to sublethal high temperatures could make them more resistant to subsequent thermal treatment, an aspect that should be taken into account when heat treatment is used as a fouling control option against oyster fouling.

Effects of low-level chlorination on zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha.

Mortality pattern of different size groups (5-20 mm shell lengths) of the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas), was studied in the laboratory under different chlorine concentrations (0.25-3.0 mgl(-1)). Results showed that exposure time for 100% mortality of mussels significantly decreased with increasing chlorine concentration. For example, mussels in the 10mm size group exposed to 0.25mg l(-1) chlorine residual took 1080h to reach 100% mortality whereas those exposed to 3 mg l(-1) chlorine took 252 h. All size groups (between 5 and 20 mm shell length) took identical exposure time to reach 100% mortality at given chlorine concentration (between 1 and 3mg l(-1)). The effect of acclimation temperature on D. polymorpha mortality in the presence of chlorine was significant. For example, 1026 h is required to reach 95% mortality using 0.5mg l(-1) residual chlorine at 10 degrees C, compared to 456h at 0.50 mg l(-1) chlorine and 25 degrees C. Resistance of D. polymorpha to chlorine appeared to be lower than that for other mussel species in The Netherlands viz., Mytilus edulis L. and Mytilopsis leucophaeata (Conrad). The present study also suggests that 100% mortality data for European populations of D. polymorpha at different chlorine concentrations are similar to those for the North American populations.

How effective is intermittent chlorination to control adult mussel fouling in cooling water systems?

Mussel control in cooling water systems is generally achieved by means of chlorination. Chlorine is applied continuously or intermittently, depending on cost and discharge criteria. In this paper, we examined whether mussels will be able to survive intermittent chlorination because of their ability to close their valves during periods of chlorination. Experiments were carried out using three common species of mussels: a freshwater mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, a brackish water mussel, Mytilopsis leucophaeata and a marine mussel, Mytilus edulis. The mussels were subjected to continuous or intermittent (4 h chlorination followed by 4 h no chlorination) chlorination at concentrations varying from 1 to 3 mg l(-1) and their responses (lethal and sublethal) were compared to those of control mussels. In addition, shell valve activity of mussels was monitored using a Mussel-monitor. Data clearly indicate that mussels shut their valves as soon as chlorine is detected in the environment and open only after chlorine dosing is stopped. However, under continuous chlorination mussels are constrained to keep the shell valves shut continuously. The mussels subjected to continuous chlorination at 1 mg l(-1) showed 100% mortality after 588 h (D. polymorpha), 966 h (Mytilus edulis) and 1104 h (Mytilopsis leucophaeata), while those subjected to intermittent chlorination at 1 mg l(-1) showed very little or no mortality during the same periods. Filtration rate, foot activity index and shell valve movement of D. polymorpha, Mytilopsis leucophaeata and Mytilus edulis decreased more than 90% at 1 mg l(-1) chlorine residual when compared to control. However, mussels subjected to intermittent chlorination showed a similar reduction (about 90%) in filtration rate, foot activity index and shell valve movement during chlorination and 3% during breaks in chlorination. The data indicate that intermittent chlorination between 1 and 3 mg l(-1) applied at 4 h on and 4 h off cycle is unlikely to control biofouling if mussels are the dominant fouling organisms.

Does status of attachment influence survival time of zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, exposed to chlorination?

Mussels colonize cooling water circuits of power stations by attaching themselves to the pipe or conduit walls using byssus threads. Once manually detached, they quickly try to reattach by producing new byssus threads. In many published reports on antifouling bioassays, the test specimens are exposed to the biocide in an unattached state. These mussels, while trying to reattach, are likely to expose themselves more frequently to the toxic compound when compared to firmly attached mussels. The results of the assay, therefore, could vary, depending on the status of the mussels used. In this paper, we test the hypothesis that the status of attachment could influence the toxicity response of mussels and show that byssally attached zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas), is more resistant to chlorine than unattached ones. An average increase of 27% in the survival time was observed for attached mussels over unattached ones in the chlorine concentration range of 0.25 to 3 mg/L. It is conclusively shown that the increase in sensitivity of the unattached mussels was related to an increase in the byssal activity, quantified presently as the byssogenesis index. The results indicate that future laboratory toxicity experiments involving mussels should be carried out using byssally attached ones.

Setting new thermal standards for transitional and coastal (TraC) waters.

The construction of a new generation of coastal power stations in the UK and other western European countries has highlighted the absence of robust standards for thermal discharges to transitional and coastal waters. The proposed discharge volumes are greater than hitherto, yet there has been little independent critical examination of their potential impact, whilst much of the existing guidance has been adapted from freshwater practice. This review considers the available knowledge on the tolerance and behaviour of fish and other marine biota to heated effluents. Appropriate ways are suggested of grouping fish species to reflect their sensitivity to thermal effects. The plethora of existing standards are considered and their validity assessed in a framework of predicted seawater temperature rise. Those species or groups of organisms most likely to be affected are identified and finally specific recommendations for thermal standards consistent with long term sustainability are proposed.